Chemical Research in Chinese Universities ›› 2026, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (4): 1081-1100.doi: 10.1007/s40242-026-6115-z

• Review Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Recent Advances in Photoelectrochemical Synthesis of Value-added Chemicals

CHAI Huan, LI Qi-Yuan, CHEN Jie-ShengLI Xin-Hao   

  1. State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China
  • Received:2026-05-20 Revised:2026-06-08 Online:2026-08-01 Published:2026-07-28
  • Contact: LI Xin-Hao,E-mail:xinhaoli@sjtu.edu.cn E-mail:xinhaoli@sjtu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the Program of the Shanghai Science and Technology Committee, China (No. 23XD1421800), the Program of the State Key Laboratory of Synergistic Chem-Bio Synthesis, China (No. sklscbs202551), and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project, China.

Abstract: Photoelectrochemical (PEC) synthesis presents a transformative strategy for the sustainable production of value-added chemicals by synergistically utilizing light and electrical energy. This approach overcomes critical limitations of standalone photocatalysis and electrocatalysis. The strategic shift from PEC water splitting to synthesizing high-value chemicals (e.g., fuels, pharmaceuticals, polymers) addresses economic viability and environmental challenges. Key advantages include precise control over reaction pathways via bias/light tuning, enhanced selectivity, and the potential to utilize earth-abundant materials. Despite significant advances in materials and understanding, challenges remain in efficiency, stability, achieving high selectivity in complex reactions, and system scalability. This review discusses the current state of PEC synthesis and the progress needed to advance this technology toward industrial-scale green chemical manufacturing.

Key words: Photoelectrochemical, Heterogeneous catalysis, Photoanode, Photocathode, Green synthesis